Direct electric valve action



Dec. 20, 1938. R, E. LEHMAN DIRECT ELECTRIC VALVEACT'ION Filed Dec. 29, 1936 :.FIE... E

Patented Dec. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIRECT' ELECTRIC VALVE ACTION Application December 29, 1936, Serial No. 118,163

5 Claims.

My invention relates broadly to organs and more particularly to a direct electric valve action for organs.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a compact construction of direct electric valve action for organs which is simple and inexpensive in manufacture and production and which may be readily installed in the pressure chamber of an organ.

Another object of my invention is to provide a construction of direct electric valve action in which there is a relatively short distance between the armature and the pouch for insuring quick action of the device in organ pipe control.

'Another object of my invention is tc provide a construction of direct electric valve action for organs in which long columns interposed between the pouch and the valve are eliminated and all parts which may tend to loosen and give rise to noise discarded.

Still another object oi my invention is to provide a construction of direct electric valve action for organs in which the possbility of a change in condition of the Valve seat, caused by swelling or contraction of the chest under conditions of temperature change and which would cause a change in distance between the valve and the actuator unit, is eliminated.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a construction of single unit direct electric valve action in which a pressure control pouch and an electromagnetic valve are closely associated for quick operation after permanent adjustment, and capable of being installed in association with an organ chest with minimum drilling operations.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the construction of direct electric valve action set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view through the direct electric Valve action of my invention showing the pneumatic pouch operated for closing the organ pipe; Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional View through the direct electric valve action and illustrating the control magnet energized for releasing pressure behind the pneumatic pouch for opening the end of the organ pipe; Fig. 3 is a side elevational View showing the unitary construction of the combined electromagnetic actuator through the valve chamber and adjacent the electromagnetic actuator taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a sectional perspective View of the valve disc employed in connection with the direct electric valve action of my invention.

My invention is directed to a compact construction of direct electric valve action for organs. Depending upon the size of an organ, there are 25o-5,009 valve actions ordinarily required for controlling such organs. The installation of types of valve actions heretofore known. has required cornplicated and expensive drilling and channeling of an organ chest and the aligning of valve actuators with the organ pipes. The valve controlling the opening and closing of the organ pipes has been generally located in a remote position with respect to the valve actuator, introducing mechanical movements which tend to change in position with the swelling or contracting of the chest with corresponding change in the distance between the valve and the actuator unit.

Moreover, installations of valve actions have generally required the drilling of a multiplicity of passages, rendering the installation of numerous valves a complicated and time consuming task. By my invention I provide a simplied construction of direct electric valve action in which all of the moving parts are located in a compact housing capable of being readily installed interiorly of the pressure chamber of the chest for controlling the air supply to the organ pipes. A minimum number of passages are required through the chest when employing the direct electric valve action` of my invention. All stops may be uniiied through electric relays which increase the volume and variety of combinations, to an extent that four ranks of pipes can be made to produce results which closely approximate the results obtained through the conventional organ of fifteen ranks of pipes. i

By use of the direct electric valve action of my invention, an organ can be constructed with greater tone range and yet the cost and space requirements reduced.

Referring to the drawing in more detail, reference character I indicates the housing of the direct electric valve action and all component parts associated therewith. The housing l is formed by a single metallic casting and includes both the pouch chamber 2 and the control valve chamber 3. The pouch chamber 2 is enlarged transversely with respect to the control valve chamber 3, as will be seen more clearly in the plan view in Fig. 4. The pouch chamber 2 and control valve chamber 3 are interconnected through passage 4 extending longitudinally through the casting I. It will be observed that passage 4 is disposed on an axis which is inclined from the lower portion of the control valve chamber 3 to the upper portion of the pouch chamber 2.

The pouch chamber 2 has an upwardly projecting annular skirt 5 thereon serving as a guide within which the circular gasket 6 may be secured over the outer peripheral edge of the flexible valve skin 'I, which constitutes the closure for the pouch chamber 2. The valve skin 'I is sufciently flexible to be quickly collapsed inwardly into the recess formed by the pouch chamber 2 when pressure is exerted against the exterior of the valve skin T, and pressure is reduced interiorly of the pouch chamber 2.

The valve skin 'I is provided with a felt pad 8 centrally of the top thereof over which there is secured the leather sheet 9 which serves as the closure means for the interior portion of the aperture I9, which extends through the wall II of the pressure chamber to the lower end I2 of the organ pipe I4. It will be observed that the device of my invention is mounted wholly within the pressure chamber which has been illustrated conventionally by adjacent walls II and I5 suitably sealed at adjacent edges by gasket means I8.

In order to align the direct electric valve action of my invention with the ends of the organ pipes, it is necessary to drill only the passage Il) beneath the ends of the organ pipes and also to provide exhaust passages Il in the wall of the chest and which lead from the interior of the chest to the atmosphere. as shown in Figs. l and 2. The control valve chambers 3 of each of the valve housings are directly aligned with the exhaust passages il in the wall II of the chest. The valve chamber 3 is provided with an up wardly projecting coextensive wall portion i8 which projects above the plane of the annular skirt 5 and is provided with transversely extending ange portions I9. The ange portions I9 are formed on an axis which extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the valve action so that flanges I9 do not overlie the pouch chamber 2. The flanges I9 are provided with apertures 29 which serve for the passage of suitable screw retaining means, such as indicated at ZI, for supporting the unitary housing I interiorly of the valve chest with the pouch chamber aligned with aperture I 0 immediately below the end I2 of the pipe and the valve chamber 3 immediately below the exhaust passage I'I in the wall II of the chest. A gasket 22 is provided between ilanges I9 and the interior surface of wall II of the chest with apertures 23 in gasket 22 aligned with apertures 2D in flanges I9 whereby the screw retaining means 2I may be secured into the wall I I of the chest.

The interior of the valve chamber 3 is screw threaded as represented at 24. The screw threads 24 receive the screw threaded tubular inember 25 which includes a slotted head 26, the screw threaded sleeve portion 21 and the champered valve seat 28. The valve seat 28 coacts with the magnetic valve illustrated more clearly in Fig. 7 as including the magnetic disc 29 and the felt pads 30 on opposite sides thereof. The magnetic valve 29-30 is not attached to any structure within the valve chamber but oats therein under the iniluence of the pneumatic pressure in the pressure chamber and magnetic attraction.

The magnetic Valve 29 is controlled by the electrcmagnets 3|. The electromagnets 3| have their pole pieces 32 projecting through apertures provided in the lower end of the valve chamber 3 which also provides a seat for the valve. The pole pieces 32 operate directly upon the magnetic disc 29 in accordance with the control current passing through the windings of the electrom-agnets 3l. The windings are protected by a suitable cover member 33 which extend around both of the electromagnets. The electrical circuit connections to the electromagnets have been indicated at 34 leading to the control relay circuit.

The pouch chamber 2 is provided with a central recessed end 35 which receives one end of coil spring 38. The opposite end of coil spring 36 surrounds the stud 31 secured centrally of the re-ar of plate 38 which is secured to the rear of the valve skin 1. Coil spring 36 tends to yieldably project valve skin -I, and the pad 8, and the leather 9 secured thereto, against the inner end of aperture I0 in wall II of the chest. So long as electromagnets 3| remain de-energized allowing the entry of pressure from the pressure chamber through aperture 39 in the lower end of valve chamber 3 for equalizing the pressure against the inside surface of valve skin 'l with respect to the pressure exerted against the outside surface of valve skin I, coil spring 36 under these conditions causes valve skin 1 to be projected upwardly in the position illustrated in Fig. l. r'Ehe pressure from the pressure chamber existent against armature 3U causes armature 38 to be pressed firmly against the end of annular valve seat 28. However, upon energization of the electromagnetic windings carried by electromagnets 3l, the oating disc valve 30 is attracted thus opening the passage through the tubular member 25 to the atmosphere exteriorly of the chest through exhaust passage I1. The pressure in the pressure chest exerts such force against valve skin 'I that the valve skin is collapsed into the pouch chamber 2 against the action of spring 35 and pressure from the pressure chest is allowed to enter the organ pipe. Immediately upon de-energization of the electromagnets 3l the oating magnetic valve disc 30 is released from the position illustrated in Fig. 2 and is at once forced by the pressure in the pressure chamber entering through aperture 39 in the valve chamber 3 to a position closing the passage to the atmosphere and allowing pressure to enter from the pressure chest behind valve skin 'I, thus forcing pad 8 upwardly and projecting leather 9 into engagement with passage Il), thus cutting oi the pressure to the organ DlDe.

Thus it will be seen that I provide a unit which may be readily installed in proper spacial relation beneath the -aperture in the wall of the chest leading to the organ pipe. The path of travel of the floating magnetic disc valve 30 is readily controlled by the initial setting of the adjustable tubular member 25, thereby selecting the time constant for the operation of the valve. By so locating the interconnecting passage 4 between the valve chamber and the pouch chamber at an angleprojecting from the lowermost portion of the valve chamber to the uppermost portion of the pouch chamber, I insure quick oper-ation of the valve for the first puff of air admitted through the lowermost portion of the valve chamber is so directed as to be immediately eiective for operating the valve skin and effecting closing of the valve.

Where I have referred to the uppermost portion of the pouch chamber and the lowermost portion of the valve ch-amber, I have not intended to limit the position in which the valve action of my invention may be mounted. I may mount the valve action in various positions and the position illustrated in the drawing is merely one arrangement which I have selected for illustrative purposes.

Where I have referred to the valve skin 1, I mean any form of flexible diaphragm such as leather or other material capable of being quickly projected outw-ardly or inwardly according to differences in pressure conditions.

Moreover, I am aware that modications may be made in the detailed arrangement of parts of the direct electric valve action of my invention and it is not my intention to limit my invention. I desire that it be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In an organ valve chest and pressure chamber, a wall having adjacent pressure delivery and exhaust ports therein, an organ pipe permanently mounted in the pressure delivery port, said exhaust port being open to atmospheric pressure; an integral body having a raised portion provided with a central bore disposed in alignment with said exhaust port and perforated flanges having screw means extending therethrough for mounting said body on said wall, said body having a laterally extending recessed portion disposed in spaced relation to said wall in alignment with said pressure delivery port and a passage extending from said recessed portion to said bore; a flexible diaphragm mounted as a closure for the recessed portion of said body and having a valve member secured thereto adapted to close said pressure delivery port, spring means for actuating said valve member, said valve member and said diaphragm being retractable into said recessed portion for opening said pressure delivery port; a xed and an adjustable valve seat in said central bore below and above the opening of said passage in said bore, said bore being open to said pressure chamber through said iixed valve seat, and said adjustable valve seat being accessible through said exhaust port, a magnetic disc valve disposed between said valve seats, and electromagnetic means mounted on said body for operating said disc valve against the pressure in said pressure chamber.

2. In an organ valve chest and pressure chamber, a wall having adjacent pressure delivery and exhaust ports therein, an organ pipe mounted in the pressure delivery port, said exhaust port being directly open to atmospheric pressure; an integral body having an upwardly extending portion provided with a central bore disposed in alignment with said exhaust port and a laterally extending recessed portion disposed in spaced relation to said wall in alignment with said pressure delivery port, means connected with said upwardly extending portion for mounting said body on said wall, said body having a passage therethrough extending from said recessed portion to said bore, the said bore being open to said pressure chamber; a exible diaphragm mounted as a closure for the recessed portion ci bodi and having a valve member secured thereto adapted to close said pressure delivery port, spring means for actuating said valve member, said diaphragm and said valve member being retractable into said recess portion for opening said pressure delivery port;l and electromagnetic vaive means disposed in said central bore and operable for controlling the pressure in the recessed portion of said body.

3. In an organ valve chest and pressure chamber as set forth in claim 2, means for adjusting the time period of operation of said electromagnetic valve means comprising an adjustable valve seat in said bore above the opening therein of said passage, said adjustable valve seat being accessible through said exhaust port while said pressure chamber is closed.

4. A direct electric valve action for organs comprising an integral body having an upwardly extending portion provided with a central bore therethrough, and a laterally extending recessed portion, said body having a passage therethrough extending from said recessed portion to said bore; a exible diaphragm mounted as a closure for the recessed portion of said body and having an organ pipe valve secured thereto, spring means within said recessed portion for normally actuating said valve to extended position,

said diaphragm and said valve being retractable into said recessed portion for sounding an organ note; a fixed and an adjustable valve seat in said central bore below and above the opening of said passage in said bore, said bore being open through said fixed valve seat, and said adjustable valve seat being accessible through said bore from the upper end of the upwardly extending portion of said body, a magnetic disc valve disposed between said valve seats, and electromagnetic means mounted on said body adjacent said fixed valve seat for operating said disc valve.

5. In a direct electric valve action for organs an integral body support and connecting member comprising an upwardly extending portieri provided with a central bore therethrough having an enlarged section in the upper portion thereof constituting a valve chamber, internal screw threads in said enlarged section, and a valve seat formed in said member at the bottom of the enlarged section of said bore; and a laterally extending portion recessed in the upper face thereof to provide a pouch chamber, said member having a passage connecting the recess in said laterally extending portion and the central bore in said upwardly extending portion, said passage opening into said recess adjacent the upper edge thereof and in said bore in the enlarged section thereof beneath said screw threads.

ROSCOE E. LEI-IMAN. 

